Homeless man, 40, is arrested at a New York subway station after ‘shouting “Allahu Akbar”, stealing a cellphone and shoving a passenger onto tracks’ before being restrained by Good Samaritan commuters
- A homeless man was arrested in a Manhattan subway station after he allegedly stole a cellphone and pushed a passenger onto tracks
- Around ten Good Samaritans kept the suspect in the station until police arrived
- The incident happened at 10 am Thursday at the Broadway-Lafayette station
- The man, who was reported to have mental health issues, was heard shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ before he was arrested by police
A homeless man was arrested in a Manhattan subway station after he allegedly stole a cellphone and pushed a passenger onto tracks during Thursday morning rush hour.
A group of Good Samaritans managed to stop the man from escaping during the frightening incident on the F train platform at the Broadway-Lafayette station just after 10 am.
The suspect was a 40-year-old homeless man who took off his shirt as he tried to find a way out of the station following the alleged offenses, according to the New York Post.
The suspect is seen sitting on the ground after he was arrested for stealing a cellphone and assaulting a man at the Broadway-Lafayette station just after 10 am on Thursday
A group of Manhattan commuters apprehending a man who stole a cellphone and then pushed a passenger onto subway tracks during Thursday morning rush hour
He reportedly tried to charge past the commuters who surrounded him and eventually makes it to the stairs. The man was reported to have mental health issues, the New York Daily News reported.
But before he can make his getaway, another man coming down the stairs tackled him and pushes him and knocks him to the ground.
He tries to get back up but another commuter is seen tripping him up as he falls back to the ground.
The homeless man was later taken from the subway station in a stretcher, (pictured), and taken to hospital before he was arrested
Police are seen surrounding the man after he was stopped by a group of passengers from leaving the station
Police sources told the New York Post that the bearded man shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’, a common Muslim prayer that is widely used by religious fanatics and extremists, when he was arrested.
The group of Good Samaritans is then seen exchanging words with him before the clip ends.
Police arrived at the scene at 10.10 am and arrested the man, who also injured an officer’s wrist, according to the New York Post.
The suspect first stole cell phone from a passenger on a number six train at Spring and Canal streets minutes before.
Onlookers are seen taking pictures after the commotion unfolded after 10 am Tuesday
The phone was later recovered and policed tracked the owner down using a find my phone feature.
The suspect later had an argument with a passerby at Broadway-Lafayette at 10 am and pushed him on to the tracks.
He reportedly broke the man’s nose who also sustained an arm injury during the incident, according to police.
He later apparent spat on a 25-year-old who tried to help the first victim, according to police.
The attacker, whose identity was not immediately available, was arrested and taken to hospital. Trains had been diverted from the station until about 10.20 am, it was reported.